{"id":28331,"date":"2025-03-12T13:53:31","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T17:53:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/?p=28331"},"modified":"2025-03-12T13:53:33","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T17:53:33","slug":"virtual-learning-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"The 5 most important tools for virtual learning"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"28339\" width=\"900\" data-init-width=\"960\" height=\"675\" data-init-height=\"720\" title=\"The 5 most important tools for virtual learning (1) (1)\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/The-5-most-important-tools-for-virtual-learning-1-1.png\" data-width=\"900\" data-height=\"675\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 960 \/ 720;\"><\/span>  <span style=\"width: 100%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/eleni-headshot.jpg\" rel=\"\" style=\"cursor: default;\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" width=\"120\" height=\"128\" title=\"PJ2025Headshot (1)\" data-id=\"28340\" src=\"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/PJ2025Headshot-1-scaled.jpg\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 2406 \/ 2560;\" data-width=\"120\" data-height=\"128\" data-init-width=\"2406\" data-init-height=\"2560\" loading=\"lazy\" mt-d=\"-4\" ml-d=\"0\" center-v-d=\"false\"><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">This post is written by Paula Johnson. By day, Paula teaches virtual special education to 8th-12th graders\u2014where her flexibility rivals her coffee intake (which is dangerously high). By night (or whenever she has Wi-Fi), she is deep in the world of AI, helping shape policies that keep education innovative and responsible. She serves on the Iowa DOE\u2019s AI Policy Creation Committee, the NEA AI Task Force, and the EngageAI Practitioner Advisory Board, and is an ISTE + ASCD Generative AI Fellow. You can follow Paula&#8217;s blog at&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http:\/\/paulajohnsontech.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1740593188508000&amp;usg=AOvVaw11ypGC8HQlUHwEtGgaFezf\" href=\"http:\/\/paulajohnsontech.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"outline: none;\">paulajohnsontech.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\">Did you know that virtual learning is still going strong? <\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\">Yep, it didn\u2019t disappear when schools reopened! <\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\">It\u2019s like that one houseplant you forgot to water\u2014still thriving against all odds.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\"><strong>Virtual learning is an incredibly flexible option that allows students to learn anytime, anywhere<\/strong> (yes, even in pajamas). It personalizes learning experiences and lets students progress at their own pace with parental support (and sometimes a cameo appearance from a younger sibling or a very judgmental cat on camera).<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\"><strong>Since the fall of 2020, I\u2019ve been navigating the world of virtual education as a special educator.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\">My students, spread across Iowa, meet with me weekly via Google Meet. <\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\">My workspace? A cozy little nook in a school building where I juggle between 12 and 17 students, each receiving 30 minutes of direct instruction daily. It\u2019s like speed dating, but with IEP goals and progress monitoring.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\"><strong>So, how do I keep things running smoothly while maintaining my sanity? <\/strong>With these five essential (and gloriously free) tools!<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"23429\" width=\"110\" data-init-width=\"480\" height=\"110\" data-init-height=\"480\" title=\"Canva Template\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Templates-Tool-Icon-Canva.png\" data-width=\"110\" data-height=\"110\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 480 \/ 480;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"\"><span style=\"--tcb-text-highlight-color: rgba(207, 212, 248, 0.45) !important;\" data-text-highlight=\"bubble\">Canva Whiteboard<\/span>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\"><em>Think: digital whiteboard, but make it fancy.<\/em><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important; --tcb-applied-color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.canva.com\/online-whiteboard\/templates\/\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"outline: none;\">Canva Whiteboard<\/a> is my go-to for real-time collaboration with students. They can write, draw, add text, shapes, and even change colors (which they enjoy way more than actually solving the math problem). Links are easy to share, and work can be done interactively, so students can engage with content in a way that\u2019s actually fun.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important;\"><span style=\"--tcb-applied-color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important;\"><strong>Why it\u2019s a lifesaver:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important;\"><span style=\"--tcb-applied-color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important;\">Watch students solve math problems in real-time (and gently guide them away from the \u201ccreative\u201d solutions).<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important;\"><span style=\"--tcb-applied-color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important;\">Break words into parts or sort them into word families like a pro.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important; --tcb-applied-color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important;\">Help students rewrite sentences without them suddenly deciding that writing is the worst thing ever.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Google Classroom icon\" data-id=\"18343\" width=\"110\" data-init-width=\"374\" height=\"99\" data-init-height=\"336\" title=\"Google Classroom icon\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Share_to_google_classroom-removebg-preview.png\" data-width=\"110\" data-height=\"99\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 374 \/ 336;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"\"><span style=\"--tcb-text-highlight-color: rgba(207, 212, 248, 0.45) !important;\" data-text-highlight=\"bubble\">Google Classroom<\/span>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"color: rgb(102, 102, 102) !important; --tcb-applied-color: rgb(102, 102, 102) !important;\"><em>Because physical folders don\u2019t work in the virtual world.<\/em><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/classroom.google.com\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"outline: none;\"><span style=\"\">Google Classroom <\/span><\/a><span style=\"\">keeps all my assignments in one place and saves me from the chaos of a million emails asking, &#8220;Where is that worksheet again?&#8221; (Answer: In Google Classroom. Always.) It even syncs with the school\u2019s student information system, so I spend less time searching for grades and more time actually teaching.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"\"><span style=\"\"><strong><strong>Why it\u2019s my virtual filing cabinet:<\/strong><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: Barlow; font-weight: 400;\">A home for all class materials (since slipping papers under the door isn\u2019t an option).<\/span><\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-family: Barlow;\">A free tool that integrates with other learning systems.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: Barlow; font-weight: 400;\">The perfect spot for storing asynchronous work that students may or may not do before the last minute.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"28334\" width=\"110\" data-init-width=\"2048\" height=\"110\" data-init-height=\"2048\" title=\"loom-color-icon-2048x2048-32zlq06e (1)\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/loom-color-icon-2048x2048-32zlq06e-1.png\" data-width=\"110\" data-height=\"110\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 2048 \/ 2048;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"\"><span style=\"--tcb-text-highlight-color: rgba(207, 212, 248, 0.45) !important;\" data-text-highlight=\"bubble\">Loom<\/span>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\"><em>Because students need to see my face even when I\u2019m not there.<\/em><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/loom.com\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"\">Loom<\/span><\/a><span style=\"\"> lets me create quick, engaging videos where I can show slides, talk through concepts, and\u2014most importantly\u2014remind students that I exist outside of Google Meet. It\u2019s especially handy for asynchronous learning because sometimes 30 minutes of live instruction just isn\u2019t enough (or, let\u2019s be real, they were only half-listening).<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><span style=\"\">Why it\u2019s my secret weapon:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"\"><span style=\"\">Perfect for creating instructional videos students can watch (and rewatch) at their own pace.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"\"><span style=\"\">Allows me to provide additional examples without using up live class time.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"\">Saves me from explaining the same thing 15 times in a row. (Well, at least some of the time.)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Pear deck logo\" data-id=\"13784\" width=\"110\" data-init-width=\"1000\" height=\"167\" data-init-height=\"1516\" title=\"Pear Deck\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Pear-Deck.png\" data-width=\"110\" data-height=\"167\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 1000 \/ 1516;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"\"><span style=\"--tcb-text-highlight-color: rgba(207, 212, 248, 0.45) !important;\" data-text-highlight=\"bubble\">Pear Deck<\/span>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Turning slides into interactive fun (or at least preventing total boredom).<\/em><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/peardeck.com\" target=\"_blank\">Pear Deck<\/a> takes regular presentations and makes them interactive. Whether students are drawing, adding text, voting, or answering questions, it keeps them engaged (or at least clicking on something other than TikTok). I can use it live or asynchronously, so it\u2019s versatile and keeps students on their toes.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Why it keeps my students awake:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\">Additional instruction that supports new learning.<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\">A self-paced option for students who need flexibility.<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\">Reports that show what students know (and, more importantly, what they don\u2019t know yet).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"28337\" width=\"110\" data-init-width=\"250\" height=\"110\" data-init-height=\"250\" title=\"new-magicschool-square\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/new-magicschool-square.png\" data-width=\"110\" data-height=\"110\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 250 \/ 250;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"\"><span style=\"--tcb-text-highlight-color: rgba(207, 212, 248, 0.45) !important;\" data-text-highlight=\"bubble\">MagicSchool<\/span>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Like a virtual assistant but without the salary.<\/em><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important; --tcb-applied-color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important; text-align: left;\">This AI-powered tool is my ultimate time-saver. Need help with lesson planning? Done. Want a thought partner for writing an IEP? No problem. Need an email to a parent that doesn\u2019t sound like a cry for help? Handled. <a href=\"http:\/\/magicschool.com\" target=\"_blank\">Magic School<\/a> can even rewrite text at different reading levels, making differentiation a breeze.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important; --tcb-applied-color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important; text-align: left;\"><strong>Why I might actually survive the paperwork mountain:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important; --tcb-applied-color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important; text-align: left;\">Saves me time (and sanity).<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important; --tcb-applied-color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important; text-align: left;\">Helps with IEP writing, lesson planning, grading, and a million other things.<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important; --tcb-applied-color: rgb(85, 85, 85) !important; text-align: left;\">Keeps me from needing 24 more hours in my day (though I wouldn\u2019t say no to that, either).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">As a virtual special educator, these tools keep me organized and make learning more interactive for my students. I love getting to know them (and their pets) in their home environments, and I\u2019ve gained a new appreciation for the parents who support their learning.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Virtual learning has come a long way since the pandemic. Some tools have vanished (RIP, Jamboard), while others, like Magic School, are evolving with AI-driven capabilities. The future of virtual education isn\u2019t just about the tools\u2014it\u2019s about ensuring students get the support they need.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">At the end of the day, teachers are the heart of learning, but it sure helps to have tech tools that make life a little easier. Now, if only there were a tool that could grade papers and make coffee \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This post is written by Paula Johnson. By day, Paula teaches virtual special education to 8th-12th graders\u2014where her flexibility rivals her coffee intake (which is dangerously high). By night (or whenever she has Wi-Fi), she is deep in the world of AI, helping shape policies that keep education innovative and responsible. She serves on the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":28339,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,1343,8942],"tags":[1344,417,9703,9676,939],"class_list":["post-28331","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ed-tech","category-google-classroom","category-elearning","tag-canva","tag-google-classroom","tag-loom","tag-magicschool","tag-pear-deck"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.1 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The 5 most important tools for virtual learning - Ditch That Textbook<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A virtual learning teacher shares her five must-have edtech tools to help her (and her students) thrive in a virtual environment.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The 5 most important tools for virtual learning\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This post is written by Paula Johnson. By day, Paula teaches virtual special education to 8th-12th graders\u2014where her flexibility rivals her coffee intake\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Ditch That Textbook\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ditchthattextbook\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-03-12T17:53:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-12T17:53:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/The-5-most-important-tools-for-virtual-learning-1-1.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"960\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"DitchThatTxtbk\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@jmattmiller\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@jmattmiller\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"DitchThatTxtbk\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/virtual-learning-tools\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/virtual-learning-tools\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"DitchThatTxtbk\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/bbead958c57d21af687cb731ae56b3f4\"},\"headline\":\"The 5 most important tools for virtual learning\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-12T17:53:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-12T17:53:33+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/virtual-learning-tools\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":951,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/virtual-learning-tools\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/The-5-most-important-tools-for-virtual-learning-1-1.png\",\"keywords\":[\"canva\",\"google classroom\",\"loom\",\"magicschool\",\"pear deck\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Ed Tech\",\"Google Classroom\",\"Remote Learning\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/virtual-learning-tools\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/virtual-learning-tools\\\/\",\"name\":\"The 5 most important tools for virtual learning - Ditch That Textbook\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/virtual-learning-tools\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/virtual-learning-tools\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/The-5-most-important-tools-for-virtual-learning-1-1.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-12T17:53:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-12T17:53:33+00:00\",\"description\":\"A virtual learning teacher shares her five must-have edtech tools to help her (and her students) thrive in a virtual environment.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/virtual-learning-tools\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/virtual-learning-tools\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/virtual-learning-tools\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/The-5-most-important-tools-for-virtual-learning-1-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/The-5-most-important-tools-for-virtual-learning-1-1.png\",\"width\":960,\"height\":720},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/virtual-learning-tools\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The 5 most important tools for virtual learning\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Ditch That Textbook\",\"description\":\"Ed tech, creative teaching, less reliance on the textbook.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Ditch That Textbook\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/01\\\/Ditch-That-Textbook-Logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/01\\\/Ditch-That-Textbook-Logo.png\",\"width\":716,\"height\":200,\"caption\":\"Ditch That Textbook\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/ditchthattextbook\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/jmattmiller\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.com\\\/ditchthattxt\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/ditchthattextbook\\\/videos\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/bbead958c57d21af687cb731ae56b3f4\",\"name\":\"DitchThatTxtbk\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cdca64dbf25442022822d6563b578d49996913a3c1163232fe1dabca98d99f61?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cdca64dbf25442022822d6563b578d49996913a3c1163232fe1dabca98d99f61?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cdca64dbf25442022822d6563b578d49996913a3c1163232fe1dabca98d99f61?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"DitchThatTxtbk\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ditchthattextbook.com\\\/author\\\/karly\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The 5 most important tools for virtual learning - Ditch That Textbook","description":"A virtual learning teacher shares her five must-have edtech tools to help her (and her students) thrive in a virtual environment.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The 5 most important tools for virtual learning","og_description":"This post is written by Paula Johnson. By day, Paula teaches virtual special education to 8th-12th graders\u2014where her flexibility rivals her coffee intake","og_url":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/","og_site_name":"Ditch That Textbook","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ditchthattextbook","article_published_time":"2025-03-12T17:53:31+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-03-12T17:53:33+00:00","og_image":[{"width":960,"height":720,"url":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/The-5-most-important-tools-for-virtual-learning-1-1.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"DitchThatTxtbk","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@jmattmiller","twitter_site":"@jmattmiller","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"DitchThatTxtbk","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/"},"author":{"name":"DitchThatTxtbk","@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/#\/schema\/person\/bbead958c57d21af687cb731ae56b3f4"},"headline":"The 5 most important tools for virtual learning","datePublished":"2025-03-12T17:53:31+00:00","dateModified":"2025-03-12T17:53:33+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/"},"wordCount":951,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/The-5-most-important-tools-for-virtual-learning-1-1.png","keywords":["canva","google classroom","loom","magicschool","pear deck"],"articleSection":["Ed Tech","Google Classroom","Remote Learning"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/","url":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/","name":"The 5 most important tools for virtual learning - Ditch That Textbook","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/The-5-most-important-tools-for-virtual-learning-1-1.png","datePublished":"2025-03-12T17:53:31+00:00","dateModified":"2025-03-12T17:53:33+00:00","description":"A virtual learning teacher shares her five must-have edtech tools to help her (and her students) thrive in a virtual environment.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/The-5-most-important-tools-for-virtual-learning-1-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/The-5-most-important-tools-for-virtual-learning-1-1.png","width":960,"height":720},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/virtual-learning-tools\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The 5 most important tools for virtual learning"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/","name":"Ditch That Textbook","description":"Ed tech, creative teaching, less reliance on the textbook.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/#organization","name":"Ditch That Textbook","url":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Ditch-That-Textbook-Logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Ditch-That-Textbook-Logo.png","width":716,"height":200,"caption":"Ditch That Textbook"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ditchthattextbook","https:\/\/x.com\/jmattmiller","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/ditchthattxt","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/ditchthattextbook\/videos"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/#\/schema\/person\/bbead958c57d21af687cb731ae56b3f4","name":"DitchThatTxtbk","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cdca64dbf25442022822d6563b578d49996913a3c1163232fe1dabca98d99f61?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cdca64dbf25442022822d6563b578d49996913a3c1163232fe1dabca98d99f61?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cdca64dbf25442022822d6563b578d49996913a3c1163232fe1dabca98d99f61?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"DitchThatTxtbk"},"url":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/author\/karly\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28331"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28331\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28433,"href":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28331\/revisions\/28433"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28339"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ditchthattextbook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}